Windmill-governor



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. F.'SOHAFER, OF MOUNT PULASKI, ILL INOIS.

WlNDMlLL-GOVERNOR.

$PEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,284, dated March 29, 1898.

Application filed July 27, 1897. Serial No. l')4=6,124. (No model.)

Pulaski, in the county of Logan and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Windmill-Governors, of which the following is such a full, clear, and

A exact description as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use my said invention.

My invention relates to windmill-governors of that class which are used to automatically control the operation of windmills, such as are, commonly used to supply water for stock or domestic uses.

'The purpose of my invention is to provide simple and efiective means whereby a float in a tank or reservoir into which water is pumped by a pump operated by the windmill mayserve to control the action of the windmill in such manner that when the water in the tank falls below a predetermined level the wind-wheel may be automatically faced to the wind and brought into action and when the water in verse section through the windmill-governor on the line 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken on the line 3 of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference designate like parts in all of the views.

The base-plate A is approximately circular in form, as shown, and may be attached by any suitable means and in any suitable manner to the windmill-tower or to a support A" thereon in proper position relative to the pullout device of the windmill, thepump-rod of the windmill, andthe tank in which is placed the float, bymeans of which the operation of the governoris controlled. I have not deemed it necessary to show in the drawings any precise location of the base-plate on the windmill-tower or any precise means for connecting the base-plate with the tower or other support, because the support and the means for connecting the plate therewith may be varied according to circumstances without departing from my invention.

On the perimeter of the circular part of the plate Aare ratchet-teeth a, and at the center of the plate is a transversely-projecting stud a. A lever B has a sleeve b, which fits on the stud a, and the lever turns on the stud. The loweror short part of the lever is enlarged, as at b, to increase its weight, so as to counterbalance the longer projecting part of the lever in order that when the pawls B on the lever B are disengaged from the ratchetteeth on the base-plate A and the ratchetplate D the lever may gravitate into position for the pawls to be again engaged with the ratchet-teeth at or near the upper extremities of the toothed segments of the plates A and D, thereby slackening the wire B, so as not to impede the movement of the wind-wheel in facing toward the wind.

A wire B connects the lever B with the pullout device of the windmill (which may be of any usual or convenient form) in such manner that when the lever B-is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow Y the lever will pull on the wire to turn the wind-wheel away from the wind and-cause it to stop, and when the lever is moved in the opposite direction the wire B will be relaxed, so as to permit the wind-wheel to face the wind and begin running. On the upper side of the lever B is a lug 19 against" which one end of the spring B abuts. A box-shaped slide 13 fits and slides on the lever B. One end of the slide B abuts against the spring B, and when the slide moves upward it compresses the spring and the spring reacts to move the slide downward. A pin 17 extends transversely through the lever B, and pawls B are pivotally supported on the pin. The pawls B engage with the ratchet-teeth on the baseplate and the ratchet-teeth on the ratchetplate, respectively. Pins b project transversely from the sides of the slide 15'. and extend under the pawls B in such manner that when the slide is moved upward the pins will engage with and lift the pawls, so as to release them from the ratchetteeth on the ratchet-plate. The ratchet-plate D is circular in form and has a hub (Z having a central bore which fits on the sleeve 1), and the ratchet-plate turns on the sleeve. It also has ratchet-teeth d coinplemental to the ratchetteeth on the base-plate A, with which the pawls B engage, and it also has a slotted arm (P, which is connected with the pump-rod C bymeans of a bolt D or other suitable means.

A nut a and a washer a serve to connect the lever B and the ratchet-plate D with the base-plate A and to prevent displacement of the parts.

.A bent rod E is pivotally connected, as at 6, with the lever B, and the lower end of the rod lies approximately in a continuation of the axial line of the stud a, so that as the lever is turned 011 the stud the position of the lower end of the rod relative to the stud will remain practically unchanged. A finger e is secured to the rod E and extends along the upper side of the lever B. A pin b 011 the upper side of the slide B fits in a slot in the finger e and connects the slide B with the finger in such manner that when the rod is pulled outward the finger will operate to pull the slide upward, and when the rod is released the spring B will react to push the slide downward and restore the rod to its initial position.

In the water tank or reservoir F is a float F. A vertical post G is planted contiguous to the tank F. A bell-crank H is pivotally supported on the post G. A wire h connects the vertical member of the bell-crank with the lower end of the rod E, and awire h connects the horizontal member of the bell-crank with the float F.

The operation of the device is as follows: Let it be assumed that the wind-wheel is running and that water has been pumped into the tank F to the desired depth and the float F has been raised by the water so as to relieve the pull of the float on the rod E, thereby permitting the pawls B to engage with the ratchet-teeth on the plates A and B. If then the wind-wheel continues to run, the reciprocating pump-rod C,driven by the windmill-crank, will cause the ratchet-plate D to oscillate,and the teeth of the ratchet-plate will successively engage with one of the pawls B so as to move the outer end of the lever B step by step downward at each upward stroke of the rod C. At each step of the forward movement of the lever B one of the pawls 13 engages with a ratchet-tooth on the base-plate A to prevent untimely backward or reverse movement of the lever. It will be seen then that by continued operation of the windwheel the lever B will be moved so as to pull on the wire 13", so as to turn the wind-wheel away from the wind and cause it to stop. The wind-wheel will then remain at rest until the water in the tank falls below'the pred ctermined level. lVhen this occurs, the float F will descend, and by means of the wire h the bell-crank II and the wire h will pull the lower end of the rod E outward, thereby moving the slide 13 so as to disengage the pawls B from the ratchet-teeth on the plates A and D, thereby releasing the lever B and relaxing the pull 011 the wire B so as to permit the wind-wheel to face the wind and again begin running. The wind-wheel being thus again started continues to run and operate the pump until water has been pumped into the tank to the predetermined depth, the pawls B being disengaged from the ratchet-teeth on the plates A and D, so that there is no movement of the lever B during this interval. lVhen the required quantity of water has been pumped into the tank, the float F has risen sufiiciently to slacken the wires 7i h and stop the pull 011 the rod E, thereby permitting the spring B to react so as to move the slide 13 downward and cause the pawls B to come into engagement with the ratchetteeth on the plates A and D. The windwheel then continues to run until the oscillating ratchet-plate moves the lever B step by step forward (to the left) so as to pull on the wire B and thereby turn the wind-wheel away from the wind and cause it to stop, as already described. The wind-wheel is thus automatically started and stopped as often as may be necessary.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A windmillgovernor consisting of a base-plate having ratchet-teetl1,an oscillating ratchet-plate centrally supported relative to said base-plate, a lever fulcrumed centrally relative to said base-plate, means for connecting said lever with the pull-out device of a windmill, a slide movable on said lever,pawls connected with said lever and engaging with the ratchet-teeth on said baseplate and ratchet-plate respectively, means for lifting said pawls, a rod pivotally supported on said lever and connected with said slide, a spring acting against said slide, a bell-crank connected with said rod, and a float connected with said bell-crank, as set forth.

2. In a windmill-governor the combination of a base-plate having a projecting stud, also having ratchet-teeth, a weighted lever having a sleeve fitting and turning on the stud on said base-plate, means for connecting said lever with the pull-out device of a windmill, a ratchet-plate fitting and turning on the sleeve on said lever, pawls pivotally connected with said lever and engaging with the ratchet-teeth on said base -plate and said ratchet-plate respectively, and means for disengaging said pawls from the ratchet-teeth on said base-plate and ratchet-plate, as set forth.

3. In a windmill-governor of the class described, a disengaging device consisting of a rod pivotally connected with a lever and having its lower end in approximatelya continuation of the axial line of the fulcrum of said IIC lever; in combination with a base-plate having ratchet-teeth, a lever fulcrumed centrally relative to said base-plate and carrying said rod, an oscillating ratchet-plate concentric with the fulcrum of said lever, means for connecting said lever with the pull-out device of a windmill, pawls on said lever adapted to engage with ratchet-teeth on said base-plate and ratchet-plate respectively, and a slide connected with said rod and adapted to disengage said pawls from the ratchet-teeth on said base-plate as set forth.

4. In a windmill-governor,a base-plate having ratchet-teeth and a ratchet-plate having ratchet-teeth complemental to the teeth on said base-plate; in combination with a lever fulcrumed centrally relative to said plates, means for connecting said lever with the pullout device of a windmill, means for oscillating one of said plates, pawls engaging with the teeth on said plates and means for disengaging said pawls, as set forth.

5.v In a windmill-governor, the combination of a base-plate having ratchet-teeth, an oscillating ratchet-plate concentric with said base-plate, a lever between said plates and operated by and moving one step at each oscillation of said ratchet-plate, means for connecting said lever with the pull-out device of a windmill, and automatically-acting means for disengaging said lever from said ratchet-plate and base-plate, substantially as set forth.

6. In a Windmill-governor the combination of a base-plate having ratchet-teeth, an oscillating ratchet-plate concentric with said base-plate and adapted to be connected with the pump-rod of a windmill, a lever fulcrumed between said base-plate and ratchet-plate, pawls carried on said lever and engaging with ratchet-teeth on said base-plate and said oscillating ratchet-plate, means for automatically disengaging said pawls and means for connecting said lever with the pull-out device of a windmill, substantially as set forth.

7. In a Windmill-governor, a fixed ratchet and an oscillating ratchet complemental thereto; in combination with a lever provided with pawls engaging oppositely with said ratchets and adapted to be moved step by step by said oscillating ratchet, means for connecting said lever with the pull-out device of a windmill, and means for automatically disengaging said pawls, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name, at Mount Pulaski, Illinois, this 22d day of July, 1897.

JOHN o. F. SCHAl ER.

Witnesses:

JAKE BARTHEL, G. F. SCHAFER. 

